4-year-old boy drowns in Lagos canal while returning home from church

Damilare Famuyiwa 16:29 - 29 November 2023

The deceased's father blamed the church for allowing the children to leave while it rained [Punch]

A four-year-old boy identified as Daniel Oyedokun, has met his untimely death after drowning in a canal, leaving his family in a state of mourning.

Oyedokun was returning home from church on Sunday, November 26, 2023, at Awori street, Dopemu, Agege area of Lagos State, when he was swept away by the flood that accompanied the heavy rain on that day.

Speaking on the demise of his son, the deceased’s father, Olabode, in an interview, said the former followed their neighbour to church as he was unable to go with him to their own church.

Olabode popularly called Baba Ibeji said he got to the house and met people standing and weeping, and when he inquired what was the problem, he was told that his son had drowned in the canal. He said he rushed there only to find out that it was true.

According to the aggrieved man, a teen related to the neighbour took his son and other children to the church.

“The boy said he wanted to follow my neighbour to church and I allowed him. I was a little sick and I couldn’t take him to my own church.

“The sister of my neighbour led them to church and when they closed, although it was still raining, they left for home.

“Getting to the canal, my neighbour’s sister who took them, was crossing the children one after the other. So, she asked Daniel to stand at the edge of the canal, while she crossed the others but he accidentally stepped on the water and slipped into the canal.

“I got home and met a crowd. They said something had happened at the Awori Canal. I quickly rushed there and they told me that my son Daniel fell into the canal and had drowned.

“I didn’t know what to do. I was told his body was found in a gutter so I had to go to the police to retrieve his body and we buried him,” the man was quoted as saying.

The Ekiti State indigene, however, blamed the church for allowing the children to leave the church premises while it was still raining heavily.

Confirming the incident, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benjamin Hundeyin said the police started a search for the boy immediately after they received the report but unfortunately didn’t find him alive.